Process for treating shades and the like.



A.. R. LOWE.

PROCESS FOR TREATING SHADES AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, 1915.

Patnted 0v. 7'

- flaw/m 4% earner.

B. LOWE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTERN SHADE CLOTH COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

rnocnss roe TREATING snnnns AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and

' able dry cans State of Illinois, have discovered a certain new and useful Process for Treating Shades and the like, of which the following is a description. I

My invention belongs particularly to that part of the manufacture of window shades and similar articles where the fabric is treated with a suitably prepared filling, and

thereafter completed and finished for the market. 7 It consists in the novel steps hereinafter particularly pointed out and described, and more particularly set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a fragment, showing a shade finished in accordance with my improved process; Fig. 2 is a modification of the same; Fig. 3 is another modification; Fig. 4 illustrates the position and construction of the preliminary rolls through which the shade passes in applying the filling, and

Fig. 5 shows the rolls where .the filling process is completed.

In the construction of shades itis common after treating the fabric to pass the same through between suitable rolls, at the same time applying to the fabric a filling material suitably colored or tinted. The rolls firmly press the filling material into the fabric, which is thereafter passed over suitor calendar rolls, where it is dried, polished and finally delivered practically completed and-ready for the market. Shades manufactured in this vmanner are substantially of uniform color and without any predetermined design upon them, that is, being of one solid color.

In my improved process, I so construct one or both rollers, through which the material is preliminarily passed and filled, that the ressure varies upon different the abric, that is, the pressure will e much heavier on certain predetermined portions vof it than upon the other portions of it, so

that at those points where the pressure is heaviest .the pressure will cause less filling to be taken up, or a thinner coating of the filling applied to the fabric, as it is by pressure forced into the adjacent parts where there is less pressure. At the points parts of.

Patented Nov. a, rare.

Applicatio'n'filed January 22, 1915. Serial No. 3,-788.

where the pressure is not so great there will therefore be a thicker-coating of the material. Thus, for example, as shown in Fig. 4,

the roll 1 may be of any preferred size, and

in practice may be rubber or other suitable material for the purpose, while the roll 2' is of brass or other suitable material, so constructed as at 33, 'etc., as to be raised, while the intervening parts at will be depressed. a

5 is the furnishing roll, and 6 a trough, mwhich said roll is positioned, and which is charged with the filling material. The rollers may be operated by any preferred mechanism.

. 7 is the shade fabric passing through between the rollers (raised to throw the roller construction).

It will be obvious that those parts of the shade passing over the parts 3 will be subjected to much heavier pressure than those parts passing over parts 4:, and that there will therefore be a heavier coating of the filling material'on the parts that have passed over the depressed portion of the rollers, as at 4.

This particular instance will result in the shade having a striped appearance, because of the difference in the filling therein. After the shade has passed through the rollers it.

is so treated as to set the filling, as by heating or drying, or any other preferred manner, and may then be finished in the usual manner, and when finished retains the said striped appearance. In the preferred form, however, the shade, after passing through the first rollers mentioned, and when the filler is set and the material is in suitable condition therefor, is then passed through between another pair of rolls preferably a plurality of times, substantially as shown "in Fig. 5,. in which the rolls 8-8 are rovided with straight faces, giving a uni orm pressure on the shade.

9 is the furnishing or dope roller, and 10 the filling or dope trough. 1

It will be obvious that a filling of slightly difi'erent color or tint' applied to the shade will result in filling the thin places 3 on the shade to the same extent as the coating is on the strip 4:, and passing, through between the rollers 8-8, the shade will be supplied with a suitable quantity of filler, which will then be of uniform thickness throughout. The shade is then dried, polished and finished in the usual manner,

giving the efiect referred to, and as shown in the drawings; In practice it is found that even if the filling material used the second time is of the same color the striped effect is still apparent in the finished shade.

It is obvious that the form of the roll 2 may be modified in various ways, as to the location of the depressed: portions, vas well as their width as compared with, the high parts, or suitable patterns maybe formed on the said roll, as indicated in Fig. 3. v

In carryin my process into efi ect, l[ have secured satis actory results by using a well known filling material composed of suitable quantities of kaolin, flour and starch, suitably prepared and mixed together in a well known manner, and with the rolls so formed that when the shade has passed through the first treatment indicated in Fig.

4, and the filling set, there is a difierence in the thickness of the shade at the two,

points from one-thousandth to three-thousandths of an inch.

In carrying my process into effect upon such products as Window shades, I prefer .to pass the same through the secondary rolls shown in Fig. 5 a plurality of times,

after the fabric has been passed through.

the first rolls and the operation completed, as herein set forth. I have secured entirely satisfactory results by passing the shades through the secondary rolls twice, and in such case I prefer to turn. the shade the other side up in passing it through the secondary rolls the first time and reversing it agaln in passing through-said rolls the last" time. This. results in giving the shade two coats from the bottom surface and one coat from the top. Obviously this operation may be continued or repeated as desired. The fabric employed is of suflicient porosity or looseness of weave to permitthe same to be thoroughly filled with the mixture bythe several operations described. Of course it will be understood that in using the Word shades herein I do not'mean to be understood as limiting my process to use upon shades alone, but wish to be understood as employingit upon any desirable fabric designed for any preferred use.

Obviously, the coloring of the filling material may, in all cases, be modified as desired, and also that the rollers may be modified to form any desired design uponthe shade.

When suitably treated according to my process the shade will appear to be formed naoegas from two difierent styles of weaving or material, giving it the pattern efiect referred to, making it very attractive and salable.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The herein described process of manufacturing shades and the like, consisting in applying a suitable filling material to a properly prepared fabric, and then applying pressure theretoysaid pressure varying at difi'erent parts of the fabric, whereby the body of the filler in the fabric also varies at difi'erent parts thereof, and thereafter finishing the shade in the usual manner, to produce a uniform smooth surface. 2. The herein described process of manufacturing shades and the like, consisting in applying a suitable filling material to a properly prepared fabric, and then applying pressure thereto, said pressure varying at difi'erent parts of the fabric, whereby the body of the filler also varies at difierent parts of the fabric, and thereafter applying more filler thereto, and subjecting the same to a substantially uniform pressure, whereby the body of the filler in the fabric is also made substantially uniform. 3. The herein described process of manufacturing shades and the like, consisting of applying a suitable filling to properly pre pared fabric, and applying pressure thereto, the pressure varying at different parts thereof, and thereafter applying more filler of a slightly different color to the fabric, and subjecting the same to a uniform pressure, and finishing the shade in the usual manner.

4. The herein described process of manufacturing shades and the like, consisting in applying a suitable filling material to a properly prepared fabric, and then applying pressure thereto, said pressure varying at difierent parts of the fabric, whereby the body of the filler also varies at difi'erent parts of the fabric, and thereafter treatingsigned my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

- ARTHUR R. LOWE. Witnesses:

ROY W. HILL, OHARLns ll. COBB. 

